President Obamas State of The Union speech

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Current Events

Students will be asked to conduct research on a specific current events writing piece and complete the task which follows:

Task: Students will watch and analyze President Obamas State of The Union speech.

Your response should include the following:

-Your response should provide a gist of the issues President Obama spoke about.

-Your response should describe at least two specific recommendations or plans that the president suggest for the future.

-Your response should interpret why the President is focusing on these two ideas/plans.

- Your response should include your opinion of the Presidents speech, did you like it? why or why not?

(Use examples/quotes from his speech to tell why you liked or disliked his speech)




CATEGORY
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Organization
The Organizational structure of this paper enhances and showcases the central idea or theme of the paper; includes a satisfying introduction and conclusion.
 The Organizational structure is strong enough to move the reader through the text without too much confusion.
 The Organizational structure is recognizable, but does not address the task.
The writer lacks a clear sense of direction.
Ideas
The paper is clear and focused. It holds the reader’s attention. Relevant details enrich the central theme.
 The writer is beginning to define the topic, even though development is still basic or general.
 The writer has made a sincere attempt to define the topic, however there is little to no evidence of development.
 The paper has no clear sense of purpose or central them. The reader must make inferences based on sketchy or missing details.
Grammar & Spelling (Conventions)
The writer demonstrates a good grasp of standard writing conventions (e.g., spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, paragraphing)
 The writer shows reasonable control over a limited range of standard writing conventions.
 The writer makes 3-4 errors in grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation that distract the reader from the content.
Errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, usage and grammar and /or paragraphing repeatedly distract the reader and make the text difficult to read.
Commitment (Voice)
The writer speaks directly to the reader in a manner that is individual, compelling, engaging, and shows respect for the audience. The writer uses topic, details, and language to strongly connect with the audience and fully address the task.
 The writer seems sincere, but not fully engaged or involved. The result is pleasant or even personable, but not compelling. The task is not fully addressed.
 The writer attempts to use one or two reasons to show why the reader should care or want to know more about the topic, however it is unclear and vague.
The writer seems uninvolved with the topic and the audience. Purpose is unclear. Fails to connect with the audience.

Sample student notes generated during streaming of the speech:

Renewable energy - President Obama wants:
  • 1 million electric cars on road in 2015.
  • Government needs to invest in developing new technologies, just like we did with NASA.
  • Bio medical technology & clean energy.
  • This will create new jobs, & keep us safe.
Education - President Obama said:
  • Education starts at home with the family.
  • Class rooms should have high expectations & performance.
  • Race to the top means the state that finds the best ways to make students learn will get the most money from the government as a reward, it is a contest.
  • He wants every student to finish high school by the time there 18.